'Openpro ERP' the solution for large enterprises

by Gamini Warushamana

I Tech Vision (ITV), a Sri Lankan software company together with Openpro Inc. in the US has offered the first open source technology based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution 'Openpro ERP" in Sri Lanka. Managing Director of ITV, Veerasingam Vijeyanathan said that software that uses open source technology has more advantages than traditional software.

Openpro Inc is a pioneer in the ERP industry and the product is a fully web or browser based ERP software package in the market. Openpro has integrated the work flow into the ERP system.

It gives options to customers to purchase the software, software as a service, lease inhouse or host. This is the first ERP solution that uses open source LAMP technology, Vijeyanathan said.

Openpro ERP has been developed after major market research to identify the needs of a web based solution. Today Openpro has development partners in 32 countries and clients all over the world.

Since Openpro is a web based ERP, the user gets global access. It is the solution for multi-location, multi branching or multi company scenario as they could link without client side software. Openpro could be accessed through laptops, PDA devices or cell phones.

Openpro uses LAMP technology (Lamp solution is a combination of free software programs used to run dynamic website or web server. The free software are Linux operating system, Apache web server, MYSOL database management system and PHP programming language).

It also uses PHP, Java Script, CSS and HTML for coding in the back of SQL server. With LAMP open source technology the software can run on many platforms such as IBM AS series, Linux, Windows, Unix, Sun Solaris, HP UX, X and Z series.

Openpro can run on SQL data bases such as MYSQL, MSSQL, Oracle, IBM DB 2 and POSTGRE SQL Servers. It also supports multiple platforms and has a partnership with IBM, Sun Solaris, Microsoft, Oracle, HP, Linux and Apache.

Openpro ERP integrates back office manufacturing with customer relationship management, supply chain management, manufacturing, e-commerce, finance, accounting, and human resource to support today's extended enterprise, Vijeyanathan said. It has inbuilt operation capabilities such as bar-code system, electronic data interchange facilities and document management system. It also can geographically represent sales revenue of the company against the cost.

Openpro can be used in any business, manufacturing or services such as call centres, field services, bank, insurance or construction and engineering.

Because of the open source technology a user can save the hardware cost by 50%. He said that Openpro provides 80% of the rights of the ERP system to the customer whereas traditional ERP systems provide only 20%. Due to the cost advantage today government institutions tend to use Openpro. Recently the South African government moved to open source technology, he said.

Vijeyanathan said that the biggest obstacle faced by ITV and other software companies in Sri Lanka is to convince clients that the solution provider is trustworthy.

This is a result of the bad experience they had in the past as many companies sold software and put up shutters within a short period of time.

ITV has been in the business since 2001 and has a very experienced technical team. ITV customises Openpro ERP to meet the exact requirements of the client, implements the system and trains people, he said. Openpro incorporates new functions and new technologies and changes faster than the industry standards. It provides an efficient support service including knowledgeable phone support and emergency service to expedite technical issues.

Since Openpro is web based and uses open source technology, a common question raised by customers was the security guarantee of the software. Openpro uses 128 bit encryption, the highest level available today.

The numbers used as encryption are based on the numbers of possible combinations that a lock can have. Therefore the security of the Openpro software is the highest.

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